Woods stumbles home, but still wins by five

SAN DIEGO – Tiger Woods was so good for so long at Torrey Pines that it didn’t matter how bad it looked at the end.

In a finish that was fitting for such a long and exasperating week, Woods built an eight-shot lead with five holes to play on Monday until he lost patience with the slow play and started losing shots that only determined the margin of victory.

Despite two bogeys and a double bogey in the final hour, he closed with an even-par 72 for a four-shot victory in the fog-delayed Farmers Insurance Open.

“I’m excited the way I played all week,” Woods said. “I hit the ball well – pretty much did everything well and built myself a nice little cushion. I had some mistakes at the end, but all my good play before that allowed me to afford those mistakes.”

He won for the 75th time in his PGA Tour career, seven behind the record held by Sam Snead.

Woods won this tournament for the seventh time, and he set a PGA Tour record by winning at Torrey Pines for the eighth time, including the 2008 U.S. Open. Woods also has won seven times at Bay Hill and at Firestone.

Torrey Pines is a public course that he’s turned into his private domain.

“I don’t know if anybody would have beaten him this week,” said Nick Watney, who got within five shots when the outcome was still undecided until making three bogeys on his next five holes. “He’s definitely on his game.”

It was the 23rd time Woods has won by at least four shots on the PGA Tour. Defending champion Brandt Snedeker (69) and Josh Teater (69) tied for second. Watney had a 71 and tied for fourth with Jimmy Walker.

It was a strong statement for Woods coming off a missed cut last week in Abu Dhabi. This was the second time in his career he won in his next tournament after missing the cut.